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An Australian study showed that 17-year-olds, particularly girls, who were exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes throughout their childhood had lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than unexposed peers, possibly putting them at greater risk for heart problems. The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

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Exposure to higher concentrations of certain perfluorinated chemicals was associated with increased insulin and triglyceride levels in overweight children, making them more likely to develop early warning signs of metabolic syndrome, according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Researchers found that these chemicals did not have a similar impact on normal-weight children.

Children whose fathers were 31 years old or older at the time of conception were, on average, 2 centimeters taller compared with those born to younger fathers, a study found. Researchers also noted higher ratios of total cholesterol level to high-density lipoproteins in children with older fathers. The study appears in the journal Clinical Endocrinology.

U.S. researchers looked at Framingham Heart Study data on more than 1,600 women and found that those who began menstruating at a younger age were more likely have certain risk factors for heart conditions than other women. Early menstruation was linked to greater BMI, larger waist circumference and obesity in adulthood, according to the study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Data on more than 1,000 Australian teen girls found those who were heavier from birth had larger waists, higher insulin and triglyceride levels, and lower "good" cholesterol rates at age 17 than other girls, increasing their risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The findings will appear in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

An analysis of 10 studies found short-term consumption of dark chocolate or cocoa products was associated with reduced levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins. However, intake did not affect high-density lipoprotein levels, the study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found.